Dinner with a Republican/homophobe
I occasionally entertain Republicans that pay for my dinner. I do this about 1x a week, sometime’s twice. Last night’s was especially fun because the person was on fire I tell you.
Apparently he had watched Rosie O’Donnel on CBS Sunday Morning the other day and learned that she is a “Very, very angry woman.”
He was also concerned that because of her child abuse it is the reason she turned gay. Then the conversation started getting really good. He said that he would be really worried about those kids she adopted. Why would he be worried you ask? Because! That’s how “they” start their farms. “I’d really be more worried if it was a gay man though. That’s how they start their farms”
WTF?!!! Where do you come up with this stuff? I told him I’d be more worried if it was a priest doing it.
“Well, yeah, that too”
“You are talking about Pedophiles. Not gay people.”
“No, that’s not what I mean”
“You are so damn ignorant you know that”
Note at this point, we are both laughing. My wife is shaking her head of course.
Then he goes off on a tangent and starts saying that as “they” (the gays) are superficial. And, as they get older they have a harder time finding a partner because they are older and older people aren’t as attractive. Soooooooo, because they get older and less attractive they act more gay and act out more gay like.
He then went on to say that one night he was out at a bar with some friends and a question came up about something or other in San Francisco. So, he called a gay friend he knows to find out the answer (100% true) Surprisingly the friend was angry with him, he wasn’t entirely sure why though…
As the discussion moved on to another gay friend of his he noted how he found it amusing that the diminutive flashy guy had a boyfriend that was similar in appearance as the guy. He wanted to ask him how he found another gay guy that looked just like him. I added that he really wanted to ask how is their two gay guys almost identical. “yeah, I wanted to know how he could find another one just like him.”
OH. DEAR.LORD!
Don’t even get me started on how Bush couldn’t have ruined the economy, but Obama is.
I’ve been telling everyone, alternate reality.
He called a gay man to ask him about San Francisco? LOL!!!
Given that Catholic priests molest kids at no greater rate than the population at large, It seems clear that you are either a0 misinformed; or b) a bigot when you make comments that one should be more worried about priests than about homosexuals and kids.
Geez, this is almost too easy. You should be more worried about pedophile priests (not all priests) than about homosexuals and kids.
Homosexuality does NOT equal pedophilia – no matter how hard you just pushed that meme.
It seems to me that the Catholic priesthood is designed to attract young men with unsettled sexuality issues raised in repressed households.
That’s just my take on it. No offense to Catholics, priests or gays is intended.
Spot on, Jason.
It was the only acceptable outcome for an in-the-closet Catholic man….unless they wanted to wear a beard.
And as a guy who left the seminary one year short of ordination, I will make an observation about my classmates — a disproportionate number of them were gay. Ditto the priests I was taught by and/or worked with during that time. At the same time, most of them were among the finest clergy I have had the privilege of working with (and given that my wife is a minister in a liberal Protestant denomination, I know a lot of clergy).
I can’t help but note, though, that among those classmates and colleagues who have been removed from ministry due to sexual misconduct (and/or prosecuted for such activity), most cases involved sexual misconduct with males rather than females — and the majority of those involved pubescent/post-pubescent teen boys rather than younger children. The proper psychological diagnosis for them would be ephebophilia rather than pedophilia.
Oh, and by the way, Jason — my letter 15 years ago withdrawing from the seminary included a statement that celibacy is an archaic and outmoded discipline that both deprives the Church of the service of otherwise qualified individuals AND attracts too many confused and wounded souls who have yet to come to terms with their sexuality. So on this one we share a certain level of agreement.
Don, your Republican chum is the one who is ignorant and misinformed. Also, pretty bigoted against gays and lesbians.
The truth is, it is much more appropriate to worry about a child’s safety if they are with a priest.
Rich — are you suggesting that gays commit sex offenses LESS OFTEN than the general population — since, after all, priests molest no more often than the general population.
Rhymes,
No one I know has ever told/confided in me that they were molested by someone who was gay. I *do* however, know someone who is a survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of a priest.
He’s a good friend of mine, a family friend, and he has gone through Hell because of a Catholic priest. That’s what I’m saying. I’m not playing around with you here, and don’t you DARE turn this into a joke or some sort of bogus, Republican, right-wing talking-point based back and forth.
Provide your supporting data that “priests molest no more often than the general population”.
Rich,
I dislike Rhymes as much as the next guy, but I think his comment #6 shows that he is taking a (rare for him) good faith approach to this question.
Jason — i didn’t know you cared. 🙂
And it may surprise you, but I usually try to take a good faith approach to most topics around here.
Still, let me point out to you that, based upon a number of cases I am quite familiar with, much of what gets called “child molestation” in the priest abuse cases is, in fact, activity between an adult homosexual man who is a priest and an older (15-18) teenage boy who may or may not be gay himself. In other words, Rich, such cases are BOTH sexual misconduct by a priest AND abuse by a gay man. The two are not mutually exclusive.
And if you want to know what i really think of the guilty, see this post — which involves a former seminary classmate.
http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/archives/232316.php
I once served mass for the infamous Fr.deLuca.An older altar-boy had warned me to avoid being alone with him,so when he attempted to put his hand in my pants in the sacristy I sshot out of there like a bullet and biked home as fast as possible.When i walked into the house my mom asked me what was wrong.At 11 years old I had NO idea about human sexuality let alone homosexuality.I told her:”Nothing’s wrong.”and then she said:”Why are you still wearing your cassock?”When I told her she went to the rectory and read him the riot act.I was fortunate.I’ve since found out how sick and depraved he is.My mom tried to explain he was sick for liking little boys.Today, I support gays and lesbiens in their struggle for equal rights.And I pray for the soul of Fr.deLuca.
“Given that Catholic priests molest kids at no greater rate than the population at large”
Given that you choose to defend the priests in this discussion, I’m not sure I give a ripe FUCK what you think about the guilty, Rhymes. I find it pretty slick of you to say “..such cases are BOTH sexual misconduct by a priest AND abuse by a gay man. The two are not mutually exclusive….”, as if I could be fooled by your attempt to link/meld/conflate homosexuality with sexual abuse, but no matter. I can see right through it.
You’re using this topic to defend priests in favor of making sure to state that you think it’s about the homosexuality of a person.
I’m ain’t playin’, Rhymes. I have a friend who WENT THROUGH THIS SHIT, and it’s very real to me, and not a political football or joke.
Come correct or GTFO.
You should cool it just a little Rich. He isn’t defending rapist priests, he is just stating a fact. Condemning all priests for the actions of some is as bad as saying all blacks are criminals.
He is also pointing out that most men who molest teens are usually gay. (in the closet) I think that is a good assumption because a ‘straight’ man probably would’t go after a boy.
Basically would you feel better if it was an uncle rather than a priest?
EDIT:
And BTW Rich. You shouldn’t curse in your posts. I’ve met you in person, and this internet bravado doesn’t jive with your real self.
Is this Phil B?
He is also pointing out that most men who molest teens are usually gay.
Proof?
Actually, many more teenage girls are molested by adult men than women with boys or men with boys.
I fail to understand that the minute someone even mentions the word “gay” the next word out of their mouth is “molester.” Are you righties that uncomfortable with gays and lesbians and your own sexuality or just plain ignorant?
Just out of perverse curiosity, DV, what was the question about San Francisco?
skippertee: very creepy story, props for telling it.
And RwR, excellent comments. I like your heart a lot better than your politics.
Defending them? Where, Rich? And you obviously didn’t look at that link I posted about someone who I spent four years living and studying with — one in which I lament that he didn;t get enough time in jail and offer my earnest hope that he spends every day praying that his fellow inmates don’t do to him what he did to the young boys he molested. And as someone who has had occasion to report at least one case of child sexual abuse to authorities every year i have been a teacher, rest assured that I have no tolerance for such scum and offer no defense of them.
And what offends you when I point out that the individuals I am referring to are both gay and priests? The two are not mutually exclusive, you know — any more than gay and teacher or gay and athlete are mutually exclusive.
Now i could get really ugly with you Rick, because you were really ugly with me. I won’t — indeed I understand your anger even as i do not understand how you came to view my comments aqs you did. You will be in my thoughts and prayers this night — as will your friend — because you are correct — this is not a political football or joke. It is a human tragedy.
lol
I dont know. I will find out for you though!
No, not defending them at all. Just that come on, its common sense to conclude that someone attracted to the same sex regardless of age is gay. But it’s also common sense that if you are gay doesn’t mean you touch boys. Just like if you are straight, you don’t molest little girls.
And to dovetail on Phil — who is not making quite the same point I was trying to make — most of the gay priests I know (and I know a lot — a good 25% of my classmates who were ordained are gay) are exemplary men of God who live celibate lives with integrity, as are most straight priests I know.
But I will say it — any man having sex with 15-18 year old teen boys is really not a pedophile — he is most probably a homosexual engaging in illegal sexual activity with individuals below the age of consent (and yes, a man having sex with a 15-18 year old girl is most likely a heterosexual engaging in illegal sexual activity with an individual below the age of consent and not a pedophile).